Growing Gaura lindheimeri
lindheimeri is another species of fully hardy and extremely floriferous plants from the prairies and plains of the USA which make another superb summer flowering spectacle in the herbaceous border.
How do you look after Gaura?
Gauras don’t need a lot of maintenance. Cut back and divide congested clumps in spring, but don’t try moving more mature plants as they don’t transition very successfully. Don’t worry if dark spots appear on leaves as this is quite normal. In autumn foliage often turns lovely shades of red in colder weather.
What is the common name for Gaura?
Common names for the Gaura plant include Butterfly Gaura, White Gaura, Pink Gaura, Wandflower, Whirling Butterflies, Bee Blossom and Lindheimer’s Gaura.
What happens to gaura in the winter?
The foliage dies back to the ground in the winter (except in mild climates where it is evergreen) and growth may be slow to emerge in spring. Although it is a perennial, individual plants may not be long-lived.
Is Gaura a hardy plant? – Related Questions
What do I do with gaura in the winter?
During winter, gaura does best on the dry side and won’t overwinter if kept too wet. Because of this, gaura is best planted in well-drained soil. An anomaly of the plant world, gaura tolerates poor growing conditions and grows better for it.
Do gaura come back every year?
The flowers also attract butterflies and bumblebees. Are gauras perennial? Yes, gauras are herbaceous perennials.
What problems do gaura have?
The primary diseases which infect whirling butterflies are Botrytis, Phytopthora, Pythium and Rhizoctonia. Other diseases growers may observe on occasion are downy mildew, powdery mildew and rust. Under cool growing conditions, dark-colored purple spots may develop on the foliage.
Where is the best place to plant gaura?
Gaura are best suited to flower beds and borders within cottage and informal garden settings. These plants will grow to an approximate height and spread of 60cm (24”).
Should you cut gaura back in winter?
Being a herbaceous perennial, gaura is dormant during winter then starts to send up the new shoots in early spring. When the shoots reach about 30cm tall, cut them back by half. This creates a more compact, stronger and self-supporting plant that is less likely to flop all over the place, with masses more flower stems.
Should gaura be pruned?
In mid-June or early July, cut back by 1/2 to 2/3. Gaura responds to continued shearing by making producing a deep green foliage in 10” -12” mounds. Flowering will commence shortly after shearing stops. Make sure to cut the plants to the ground in mid-February leading into spring.
Is gaura invasive?
Natives to certain parts of North America, these plants grow in clusters and bloom for a long time. While most of the species in this genus are considered as invasive weeds, some are grown for ornamental purposes too.
How long do gaura flowers last?
One of the best features of gaura plants is the long bloom time, much longer than most perennials. The heaviest blooming occurs in early summer, but you can expect flushes of flowers to recur throughout the summer and into fall in USDA growing zones 5 through 9.
How do you keep gaura blooming?
Care of gauras involves planting them into a full sun area with rich soil and deep drainage. Growth needs of the gaura plant include organic soil. This encourages development of the taproot. Gaura growing info indicates the plants are drought tolerant once established, consequently, little care of gaura is needed.
Does gaura reseed itself?
It produces 12 – 20 inch flower stalks that have four-petaled flowers, all in a row. They start out white and turn pink with age. As Gaura continues to grow, it does not become dense but branches out, and is a great plant to have in your wildflower garden as it self-sows its own flower seeds easily.
Does gaura like sun or shade?
Growing Gaura: Tips at a Glance
Flowering perennial gaura needs full sun plenty of room for its long, wispy stems topped by delicate white or pink flowers that twirl in a breeze. With well-draining, sandy soil, gaura reqiures nothing more than full sun to thrive.
Do gaura plants do well in pots?
Gaura is such a reliable plant for a pot we can’t possibly leave it out. Given sun, it flowers for a long period (frequently June to November) and even tolerates dry soil.
Can gaura be overwatered?
Gaura does not appreciate fertilizer or over-watering and is susceptible to root rot.
How big does gaura get?
Gaura Plant Features
Gaura blooms all summer long producing graceful wands of nectar-rich white, pink, or bi-colored flowers that butterflies love. The deer-resistant plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall. Gaura makes an excellent container plant, too. Hardy from zones 5-9.
